


Mr Jones at Paternoster Row

by szm



Series: Random Crossovers [9]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-11 02:13:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18420711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szm/pseuds/szm
Summary: Ianto gets to meet some heroes of his.





	Mr Jones at Paternoster Row

Ianto took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. Because finding yourself suddenly in Victorian London, then Jack getting kidnapped by some nutter shouting about the Doctor, then five minutes later Gwen disappearing in a literal puff of purple smoke… well all that made for a rough day. But now, now, he was stood in front of the door of the Paternoster Gang. Basically at Torchwood One they had been the stuff of legend. A legend Ianto had flat out loved. He’d read every mention of them in the archives at least twice in his first week.

Ianto heard the bell ring and a heavy footfall traveling towards the door. The door was answered by a Sontaran. Shocking even through Ianto knew it was coming. Mostly because the alien _didn’t_ look out of place. He (it?) sighed heavily as if Ianto was just the last thing he needed today. 

“May I decimate… I mean, help you? Sir,” said the alien.

Ianto recognised that tone of ‘Sir’. It was the ‘it’s-been-a-long-day-but-being-polite-is-my-job’ tone. Ianto chose to ignore the threat. He didn’t want to start a fight with a Sontaran. Not today anyway.

“My name is Ianto Jones. I was wondering if I could talk to Madame Vastra. I understand it’s very short notice…”

“Of course, Mr Jones,” interrupted the alien butler (and really this is Ianto’s life now). “We have been expecting you. My name is Strax. If you would come this way.”

Strax stepped to one side and swept his arm in an ‘after you’ gesture. Ianto stepped into the hallway and Strax closed the door behind him. “You were expecting me?” he asked, he really didn’t see how they could have known he was coming.”

“Indeed,” said Strax with relish. “I wished to use this strategically advantageous information to set up a complex trap, so you could die in agony for the glory of the Sontaran Empire! However Madame insisted on… tea,” Strax sneered the last word then mumbled to himself. “I don’t know what we even have flesh-eating acid for…” He slipped back into put-upon but polite. “May I take your clothes?”

Ianto felt his head spin a little. “Erm… no?” he said carefully, wishing he hadn’t made it sound quite so much like a question.

“Suit yourself,” muttered Strax. “If you would follow me to the conservatory.” 

**

There was indeed a tea set. A very nice one actually. Set up in front of a woman draped in an ornate black dress, a veil hung from her hat masking her face from view. A pretty young woman stood behind the large wicker chair. She was wearing a neat maid’s uniform, eyes cast down and her hands folded just as neatly in front of her. Ianto recognised that stance too. ‘Don’t look at me, I’m just the staff. I’ll just be watching everything you do’. He fought to keep his own carefully bank and polite mask in place. Because that was only Jenny Flint! The actual Jenny Flint. Ianto reminded himself that asking for an autograph would be unprofessional. Also Jack and Gwen were missing and probably in danger and he really shouldn’t be enjoying himself.

“Tea?” asked the woman in black, holding up a teapot.

“Erm… No, thank you,” declined Ianto. “Your… butler mentioned acid and now I’m not really all that thirsty.”

The woman tutted, and turned to face Strax. The Sontaran merely shrugged. “You have duties to attend to?” she asked. 

“Yes Madam,” said Strax with a stiff bow. He turned on his heel and almost marched out of the room. 

Jenny Flint’s shoulders shook as if she was holding in a giggle. She noticed Ianto looking and her face smoothed back out and her eyes dropped back to the floor. The woman in black flipped the veil over her head with a dramatic flourish, Ianto had to really fight to keep his expression blank. Not because the sight of an alien surprised him, like Strax the most surprising thing was how much she fit in with all the Victorian trappings around her. It wasn’t even the dramatics of the gesture, he was used to Jack and no-one could out drama the Captain. It was that _this_ was The Great Detective. The Lizard Woman of Pasternoster Row. An alien, not to mention a known associate of the Doctor, that even this era’s Torchwood had left alone. The urge to ask for her autograph rose again. But Ianto was a professional. Dammit.

“Ianto Jones, I am Madam Vastra. My appearance does not surprise you?” asked Vastra pleasantly, although Ianto could hear the thread of danger within her words.

“No ma’am,” said Ianto matching Vastra’s tone. “If you will forgive the intrusion I have read about you, and your wife,” he nodded and smiled at Jenny. “I was very impressed.”

“You have me at a disadvantage, Sir,” replied Vastra “All I know of you is that you are a traveller from the 21st century, former employee of Torchwood One. Current employee and lover of Captain Jack Harkness of Torchwood Three.”

“If I may be bold Madame, I suspect you are very rarely at a disadvantage to anyone,” Ianto nodded to the swords mounted on a very decorative display, within easy reach of Vastra and Jenny.

Vastra inclined her head to concede the point.

“You knew I was coming?” asked Ianto. “Does that mean you know why I am here?”

Vastra glanced at Jenny, Jenny’s expression didn’t change but Vastra seemed to see something there. “You have lost your companions. You wish me to help you find them.”

“Please, I know you have no reason to trust me…” started Ianto.

“Then give me one,” interrupted Vastra. “One word. One word Mr Jones. To explain to us why we should help you.”

“Take your time. Think carefully,” added Jenny, soft smile and soft voice.

Ianto sat in silence for a moment, looking at his lap, trying to remember everything he had read about the Pasternoster Gang. What word he could say that would convince them? He thought he had it. Then he looked up to speak and saw Jenny look at Vastra. He addressed his answer to the maid.

“Duty,” he said looking her in the eye. He thought… hoped… she would understand.

Jenny stared at him, her gaze suddenly somehow sharper, like she saw something inside Ianto. Vastra opened her mouth to speak but Jenny rested her hand on Vastra’s shoulder. A look passed between the two women and Jenny nodded slightly. Vastra tilted her head slightly then looked back at Ianto. She reached to the left and pulled the ornate bell pull next to her. 

“Captain Harkness and Mrs Cooper appeared literally on our doorstep. Both unconscious. There was a note pinned to the Captain’s coat. Signed by the Doctor asking us to look after the Captain and Mrs Cooper. The Captain briefly regained consciousness, he was... very concerned about you. I’m afraid he got quite… feisty. Strax was able to… subdue him. But…”

“Not without killing him,” sighed Ianto. Rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Because first thing Jack does on waking up is pick a fight with a Sontaran. Of course it is.”

“He got better!” said Jenny quickly.

Ianto smiled at her, hoping it didn’t look as weak as it felt. “He does that.”

“The Captain was able to tell us about you, warned us that you would be looking for him and Mrs Cooper then… there was a purple smoke that appeared around him and Mrs Cooper and he slipped back into unconsciousness. It was most peculiar.”

“Can I see them please?” asked Ianto, already standing. 

“Of course,” said Vastra. She nodded to Strax who had appeared in the doorway behind Ianto. “Strax, take Mr Jones to the guest room.”

“Madame,” replied Strax with a short bow. He looked at Ianto. “Do not fall behind, or I will utterly destroy you. Sir. Also mind your step, the top of the bottom stair is a little loose.”

**

“A very…. interesting young man,” said Vastra thoughtfully after Ianto had gone. “Why trust him?”

“The way he said ‘duty’. He means it the same way I do. I think,” replied Jenny, clearing the tea things away.

“What way is that?” asked Vastra.

“Not something given because it’s demanded or expected,” replied Jenny, looking up and smiling at Vastra. “Given freely, because you love someone. _Madam._ ”

“Wife,” corrected Vastra with an answering smile.

“As I said,” replied Jenny. “I’ll tidy up, you should talk to him. We need to find out what’s going on.”


End file.
